If you’ve lived in San Francisco for a few years, odds are you’ve ended up at either the Make Out Room for a show or had drinks at the Latin American Club. However, the landscape of 22nd Street in the Mission may soon change, as the two bars have been put up for sale by owner Martin Rapalski. 

The two clubs have been anchors of the street for around three decades. Rapalski opened the Latin American Club in 1993 and bought the Make Out Room in 1997. Business has picked up as of late, Rapalski said, with the street turning into a new food corridor and diners spilling into the clubs after dinner. However, he’s simply ready to retire.

“I’m just kind of bored, actually,” Rapalski told SFGATE. “I just would like to do something else. You know, it’s a long time to do one thing. I really never expected the bars would last that long.”

The San Francisco Chronicle first reported that the Make Out Room currently pays $9,200 in rent and is up for sale for $450,000. The Latin American Club pays $6,130 in rent and is looking to sell for $350,000. Both bars are listed as being profitable. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.) 

Although the Latin American Club was denied a live entertainment permit when it applied, the Make Out Room has served as a pivotal small club for local acts, as well as an intimate stage for touring performers. Rapalski cited a few favorite performances over the years — Jonathan Richman, Cake, the Decemberists, Grandaddy and Tracy Chapman, to name a few. The two bars have also employed countless local musicians over the years. 

Along with the impending closure of Thee Parkside and the forthcoming end of Bottom of the Hill (as we know it), the sales mark another potential loss for the city’s music scene. But Rapalski is holding out hope that a new owner will treat the takeover as a turnkey operation, keeping the venue’s identity along with the staff. (One Latin American Club empoyee has worked there for almost 30 years.) 

“People hate to see things like that change drastically. That’d be the worst thing, somebody came in and made it some sterile yuppie place,” Rapalski said.

Before making the sale public, there were talks about having the longtime general manager take over, but a deal could not be reached. Since the announcement, Rapalski has received “tons of interest,” ranging from calls and emails to letters of intent. He expects a sale to close within the next two months. However, shows are booked through the end of the year, so he hopes the spirit of the bar will live on.

“The camaraderie, the music, it’s just become an integral part of everyone’s life in the neighborhood,” Rapalski said. “As a meeting point, as a place to exchange ideas and have a good time.”

Have a news tip about a bar closure? Is there a movie filming in your neighborhood? Just want to pass along word about a cool San Francisco project? Send an email to SFGATE’s senior culture editor at Dan.Gentile@sfgate.com.